Boeing has announced significant orders for its largest aircraft, securing commitments for up to 80 of its 787 Dreamliner and 777 double-aisle planes from Japan Airlines and Korean Air. This development comes as a response to rival Airbus, which had made inroads with these airlines after issues involving Boeing’s 737 Max.
Brad McMullen, head of sales operations at Boeing, expressed appreciation for the ongoing partnership with Japan Airlines, highlighting their choice to continue modernizing their fleet with the 787 Dreamliner.
The announcement coincides with the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, a key event in the aerospace industry. Japan Airlines will be acquiring 10 Dreamliners with the option for an additional 10. Korean Air has placed an order for 20 of the 777-9 model and 20 787-10 planes, also with an option for 10 additional 787-10s.
This “long-standing partnership” contextualizes a previous report which noted that Airbus had successfully sold 11 A321neo jets to Japan Airlines, marking the first purchase of a single-aisle aircraft from Airbus rather than Boeing. This sale came during a challenging period for Boeing as it dealt with the fallout from the 737 Max issues.
Bloomberg similarly reported Airbus’s sale of several wide-body jets to Korean Air, indicating a possible move away from Boeing, particularly as the 777X model was delayed in achieving regulatory approval.
Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, stated that Boeing is honored by Korean Air’s selection of its largest widebody planes, affirming the significant role Boeing has played in Korean Air’s operations over the past 50 years. She emphasized that both the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will further support the airline’s sustainability and growth objectives.